Published on: January 26, 2026, 01:32h.
Updated on: January 26, 2026, 01:39h.
- UnitedHealth identifies Nevada as having health issues.
- Nevada ranks 42nd in health among states.
- New Hampshire is the healthiest state; Louisiana ranks the lowest.
According to the latest report by the UnitedHealth Foundation for 2025 America’s Health Rankings, Nevada continues to struggle in health metrics.
Every year, the nonprofit UnitedHealth Foundation evaluates the health status of the 50 states using 99 crucial health indicators. Nevada, known for its casinos, secured the 42nd position.
The analysis revealed that between 11.7% and 13.8% of adults in Nevada suffer from at least three chronic illnesses, such as COPD, cancer, asthma, diabetes, depression, and arthritis.
The UnitedHealth Foundation attributes Nevada’s health challenges to high non-medical drug use rates, elevated economic hardship, and a low rate of cancer screenings.
Nevada’s low ranking in health is not surprising, given its association with gambling, the nightlife in Las Vegas, available all-you-can-eat buffets, legal sex work in some rural regions, round-the-clock alcohol access, and legalized marijuana. In 2024, the WHO noted that the proliferation of gambling poses risks to global health.
Casino-Related Health Issues
With over 300 gaming establishments, many in Nevada permit indoor smoking.
Recent surveys indicate that smoking rates among Nevadans dropped from 15.7% in 2019 to 11.9%. While this figure is only slightly above the national average of 11.6%, the prevalence of secondhand smoke increases the risk of various tobacco-related health issues, including COPD, cardiovascular illnesses, type 2 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and cancers.
Nevada also received poor marks for cancer screenings; only 56.7% of adults aged 40 to 75 participated in recommended screenings, ranking 47th in the nation.
Additionally, Nevada ranks last in public health funding and has a sizable adult non-medical drug use rate (24.9%). The state is 43rd in fruit and vegetable intake, 45th in sleep quality, and 47th in health insurance coverage (11.4%). Nevada’s economic struggle, particularly in the casino sector, has contributed to rising unemployment rates, which climbed from 4.6% to 6.3% in 2025.
There has also been a dramatic increase in drug-related fatalities, rising from 31.6 to 40.1 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants.
On a positive note, the UnitedHealth Foundation highlighted that Nevada boasts a low obesity rate, most residents have access to reliable high-speed internet, and the state maintains effective climate policies.
Link Between Gaming and Health
States without commercial or tribal casinos, such as Vermont, Utah, and Hawaii, rank among the healthiest, with Vermont in third place, Utah in fifth, and Hawaii in ninth.
States like Massachusetts (No. 2), Maryland (No. 8), Colorado (No. 12), and Delaware (No. 18), which restrict indoor tobacco smoking, also ranked well in health.
The UnitedHealth Foundation noted positive trends nationwide, reporting an 8% decrease in premature deaths and a 3% dip in drug-related fatalities. Overall, the findings suggest that America is becoming healthier, attributed to declining inactivity rates.